Neuroscience Party Tricks, Part I

Move your right foot in a clockwise circle. Now move your right hand clockwise on the table at the same time your right foot is moving clockwise…. Pretty easy.

Stop moving your right hand but keep moving your right foot clockwise. Now move your left hand counter-clockwise while you move your right foot clockwise…. Not too hard.

Stop moving your left hand but keep your right foot moving clockwise. Now also move your right hand – but this time counter-clockwise, while you’re still moving your right foot clockwise. Can you do that? … I didn’t think so.

What happened?

Long story short: the right side of our brain controls movement on the left side of our body and vice versa. The brain gets discombobulated when opposite motor signals are sent to the same hemisphere.

The brain also gets confused when we try to rotate our tongues and hips in opposite directions, either with each other or with our limbs. Try it.